Bulldogs nipped by Rams on Saturday morning

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University women's swimming and diving team dropped a heartbreaker, 138-123, to the University of Rhode Island on Saturday morning at the Chace Athletic Center Pool.

The Bulldogs led by a point heading into the final two events of the meet but the Rams were victorious in the 200 IM and the 200 free relay. With the dual meet season over, Bryant will now set its sights on the Northeast Conference Championships which take place Feb. 15-18 in Cambridge, Mass.

On Saturday, the Black and Gold received a pair of victories from Jillian Rice (Trumbull, Conn.) and Alaina Scifo (Ipswich, Great Britain). Rice won the 200 free (1:55.40) and the 50 free (24.31), while Scifo took home both back events with times of 58.97 and 2:06.53, both personal bests for the year.

Bryant also received a strong performance from Eliza Brant (Hauppauge, N.Y.). The freshman finished second in the 100 breast but bounced back to win the 200 breast with a time of 2:28.36.

The Bulldogs will have a week and a half to prepare for the NEC Championships that will be held at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Mass., from Feb. 15-18.